Michele Schutz, assistant professor Special Education, has been selected as the Goldstick Family Scholar.
Special Education Department Head Matt Lambert announced Schutz as the Scholar, saying, "Dr. Schutz has also been active in the Goldstick Lecture Series since joining the department in 2022. She has been awarded the Marissa Zelinger Research Award for the last two years and has worked closely with former Goldstick Scholars. Dr. Schutz will bring a renewed approach to the Goldstick Lecture Series that helps us think creatively about supporting young adults with disabilities to be successful after high school."
Schutz's scholarship, teaching, and public engagement are centered on helping individuals with extensive support transition from high school to employment settings. She hopes to bridge a significant gap for students with disabilities in rural communities as they age out of high school and transition to other settings. Dr. Schutz's work promotes collaboration between community partners, faculty, college students, families, and individuals with disabilities to improve awareness, knowledge, and support for individuals with disabilities. Her work often engages individuals with extensive support needs, giving them a voice in the discourse about their support and services.
She is only the fifth accomplished Department of Special Education scholar to receive this honor, established by Phillip C. and the late Beverly Kramer Goldstick to provide sustainable training and research programs in the area of communication disorders in Special Education.
The Goldstick Family Scholar provides leadership to the annual Goldstick Family Lecture Series on Communication Disabilities, identifying and inviting a leading scholar in the field to address a public audience and meet with faculty and students about their research.
